Highland Chief Gold Mine (Black Dog; Bobby McGee; Camp; Trench), Minjar Gold District, Yalgoo Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Highland Chief Gold Mine (Black Dog; Bobby McGee; Camp; Trench)	Mine
Minjar Gold District	District
Yalgoo Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

The Highland Chief Gold Mine is at the southern end of the Minjar Gold District, 500 metres north of the Tungsten Trench Mindat locality, and borders the Perenjori to Warriedar Road. When active, ore is hauled by truck north along a private haulage road, some 50 kilometres to the processing plant.

While a historic gold mine location, modern mining started here in December 2001 to July 2006 by Gindalbie Gold Pty Ltd, and has subsequently been owned by Monarch Gold Mining Pty Ltd, Golden Stallion Resources, and around 2010 was purchased by the Shandong Tianye Group.

Historic information was only located between 1916 to 1924. In 1916 it is noted as being owned by J.W.D. Robinson who was also the station owner at Warriedar. At the time there was an open cut 8 feet deep by 60 feet long on a north-west to south-east trending reef. Gold at its richest point assayed at 37 dwt per tonne. 600 tonnes of ore was reported at grass. The journalist was shown some 'magnificent' specimens containing coarse and fine gold. There are also 5 small shafts running north to south to 57, 30, 40, 42 and 18 feet deep respectively. Modern mining may have obliterated much of this description.

One report states H. Hill acquired the mine for 2000 pounds in May 1922, but a 1923 report states it is still owned by Robinson. The ore is being treated at the Warriedar state battery 5 miles to the north-east. The lode it states outcrops on the west side of a small hill, with the lode itself micaceous schist interspersed with quartz leaders, kaolin, and ironstone running at various angles.

Recent exploration by Hazelwood Resources at the site details significant tungsten mineralisation in the overburden at the mine. This should come as no surprise considering the previously explored Tungsten Trench is less than 500 metres to the south, a large but low grade tungsten deposit never mined.

The Bobby McGee deposit was discovered in 2003 within a stones throw of the Highland Chief Mine, and the present company has plans to develop it as an open pit. The other location names are prospects also in the immediate area. Monarch Gold Mining in 2006 estimated Highland Chief had a total resource of 37 900 tonnes at a grade of 1.9 for 2300 ounces of gold. Bobby McGee had a resource of 202 400 tonnes at a 2.2 grade for 14 200 ounces of gold.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References